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Research Findings for María Aguilera Aguilera (c. 1899–1973)

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Background and Challenge‍

Subject: María Aguilera Aguilera – Born ~1899–1901 in Santiago, Chile; died 1973 in Arica, Chile. Her records list her as illegitimate (no father named), and existing documents lack a birth date or father’s name. This presents a common genealogical challenge: locating birth/baptism records to confirm her birth date and parentage, and death or burial records for additional clues.Key Objective: Identify any records (civil birth registers, baptismal entries, death/cemetery records) that mention María Aguilera Aguilera, and outline resources and strategies to find them.

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Civil Birth Records in Santiago (c.1899–1901)

Civil Registration (Registro Civil): Chile instituted civil vital records in 1885. By law, births, marriages, and deaths were recorded by local civil registry offices, with duplicate books sent to a central archive. For Santiago in 1899–1901, a birth record likely exists in the civil register:

  • FamilySearch “Chile, Civil Registration, 1880–1933” Collection: This free database includes millions of Chilean birth, marriage, and death records from 1880 to 1933. Some records are indexed/searchable, while others are browsable images. Search for María Aguilera around 1899–1901 in Santiago. If indexed, her birth entry could appear with her mother’s name (father field blank or “NN” if illegitimate). If not indexed, use the FamilySearch Catalog to find Santiago civil birth registers for 1899–1901 and browse them. Note: Nearly all Chilean civil records pre-1903 are digitized on FamilySearch, so you can likely view the original birth register image online (e.g. by selecting Santiago and year in the catalog).

What to look for: Civil birth records typically give the child’s name, birth date, baptism date (if provided), and parent(s) names. In illegitimate cases, the record may list only the mother’s name and note the child as “natural” or “ilegítimo/a.” You may find María recorded as “María Aguilera Aguilera”, indicating her mother’s surname used for both paternal and maternal surname slots. Finding this record would confirm her exact birth date and her mother’s full name.

Alternate Civil Sources: If the exact location in Santiago is unknown, check for an index book. Many registry offices kept alphabetical indexes by surname. FamilySearch has imaged index books for various locales (search the catalog for Santiago – Índice around 1899). By locating “Aguilera” in the index for 1899–1901, you can find an entry number and year. With that, you could request a copy of the full record from Chile’s civil registry. [1] (https://www.familysearch.org/en/search/collection/1630787)

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Ordering Certificates

Chile’s Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación can provide historical record copies. You can request a “fotocopia de la partida de nacimiento” (photocopy of the birth record) at any civil registry office, providing name, location, and an approximate date. Because her birth is over a century ago, it should be accessible. If visiting in person isn’t feasible, consider writing to the Archivo General del Registro Civil in Santiago (Calle Huérfanos 1570), which holds the duplicate civil registers. A polite request in Spanish, including all known details, may yield a record copy. [2] (https://www.archivonacional.gob.cl/sites/www.archivonacional.gob.cl/files/images/articles-8380_archivo_01.pdf)

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Baptismal and Church Records in Santiago

Catholic Church Records: Since civil records began relatively late (1885), Chilean genealogists also rely on church records. Baptismal records can be crucial for illegitimate births – they often list the mother and sometimes the godparents or putative father:

  • FamilySearch “Chile, Catholic Church Records, 1633–2015” Collection: An extensive collection of parish registers (baptisms, marriages, burials) from across Chile. Many Santiago parishes’ books are digitized here. This collection is browseable by parish and year, and a portion is indexed (as “Chile Baptisms, 1585–1932”). Use the index for a quick search (try variations of name/spelling), but if no luck, identify the likely parish by residence. Around 1900, Santiago had multiple parishes; if you know an address or neighborhood, start with the nearest parish’s baptism book for 1899–1901. [3] (https://www.familysearch.org/en/search/collection/1520549)

What to look for: A baptism entry for María Aguilera Aguilera (likely within days or weeks of birth, if her family baptized her as an infant). It will confirm her baptism date and may list her birth date in the margin or entry. The record will name her mother (and usually indicate if she’s unmarried – sometimes phrased as “hija natural de [mother’s name]”). The father’s name may be blank or explicitly stated as “padre no conocido.” Godparents’ names could be relatives and provide further clues.

Archdiocese Archives: If parish records aren’t online or you prefer official assistance, the Archivo Histórico del Arzobispado de Santiago holds archival copies of sacramental registers dating back to the 16th century. They allow research into documents older than 40 years and can authenticate copies of baptism, marriage, or burial records. You can contact the archive (email archivohistorico@iglesiadesantiago.cl) to inquire about a baptism circa 1900 for María Aguilera. Provide her name, approximate birth date, and that she was born in Santiago – they may search their indexes or guide you to the right parish records. [4] (https://www.iglesiadesantiago.cl/arzobispado/cancilleria/archivo-historico)

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Death and Burial Records in Arica (1973)

Civil Death Record: María’s death in 1973 would have been recorded by the Arica civil registry office. This defunción record is vital for genealogical details: Chilean death certificates of the mid-20th century often include the deceased’s age or birth date, place of birth, marital status, spouse’s name, and sometimes parents’ names. (Keep in mind these details rely on the informant’s knowledge and might be incomplete or slightly inaccurate.)

Registro Civil Request: As of 2025, her 1973 death is just over 50 years ago, which may mean it’s publicly accessible. You can request a death certificate or a photocopy of the death register entry from the Registro Civil. If you have her death register number and year, include that; otherwise give her full name, exact death date (if known, e.g. in 1973), and place (Arica). The Arica office or the central archive in Santiago can search it. Chile’s Transparency Law and civil registry policies allow individuals to request records of deceased persons, especially for genealogical purposes, but you may need to pay a small fee. (Tip: If you are in Chile, any civil registry office can forward your request to Arica’s office or the archive. From abroad, you might contact the Chilean consulate or use the Registro Civil’s online portal if a RUN (ID number) is known.)
[5] (https://transparencia.municipalidaddearica.cl/uploads/file/LEY20285/2013/NOVIEMBRE/Reglam/15533_reglam-1.PDF)

FamilySearch Indexes: FamilySearch’s civil registration database mentioned above covers deaths up to 1933, so it won’t index a 1973 death. However, many civil registry index books for the 20th century are available on FamilySearch. Look in the FamilySearch Catalog for Arica (then part of Tarapacá province) – there might be scanned yearly indexes of deaths. For example, an “Índice de Defunciones – Arica” covering the 1970s could list “Aguilera, María – entry #X, year 1973.” If found, note the entry number and then request that specific record.

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Cemetery and Obituary Sources

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Recommended Archives and Resources in Chile

Researching early 20th-century Santiago and 1970s Arica records may require using both online databases and Chilean archives:

  • FamilySearch: The primary free resource for Chilean genealogy. It provides indexes and digitized images for civil records (1885–1932) and church records. Use the search forms for indexed collections (e.g. Chile Baptisms 1585–1932, Chile Civil Registration 1880–1933). For unindexed images, navigate via the FamilySearch Catalog by place (Santiago or Arica) and record type. FamilySearch’s coverage means many pre-1930 records can be found from home.
    [9] (https://www.familysearch.org/en/search/collection/list?ec=region:Chile,placeId:1927143)
  • Chilean Civil Registry (Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación): Holds official civil registers. Older duplicate books are at the General Archive in Santiago (address: Huérfanos 1570). You can request birth, marriage, or death record copies by providing as much detail as possible. If you’re in Chile, visiting an office in person can be productive. From abroad, written requests or the help of local researchers might be needed. The blog Ancestros Chilenos notes that obtaining a full “partida” (register entry) is preferable to a brief certificate, because the full entry contains all recorded details.
    [10] (http://ancestroschilenos.blogspot.com/2009/06/registro-civil-de-chile.html)
  • Chilean National Archives (Archivo Nacional): The National Archives has various historical records but civil registers are generally kept by the Registro Civil, not the National Archive. However, the National Archive’s regional branches sometimes hold older civil registers or notary records. In Arica, the regional archive might have some local civil status registers if they were transferred. It’s worth checking with Archivo Nacional – Sede Arica or the Archivo Nacional’s catalog if available.
    [11] (https://www.archivonacional.gob.cl/sites/www.archivonacional.gob.cl/files/images/articles-8380_archivo_01.pdf)
  • Catholic Church Archives: For Santiago, as mentioned, the Archdiocesan Archive can assist with sacramental records older than 40 years. For Arica, which was part of the Diocese of Tacna/Arica, church burial records in 1973 might exist but would require contacting the Diocese of Arica’s office. Church burial registers (if she had a church funeral) could list her death/burial and possibly age.
  • Online Genealogy Communities:

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Next Steps and Research Strategy

To maximize the chances of finding information on María Aguilera Aguilera, we recommend the following steps:

1. Search FamilySearch Indexes:
Start with the indexed databases on FamilySearch. Try a birth search for “María Aguilera” born 1899–1901 in Santiago. Then try the baptism index for the same name and time frame. Because she has a double surname “Aguilera Aguilera,” also search just “María Aguilera” in case the index recorded only one “Aguilera.” Note any promising hits (e.g. a birth in Santiago or a baptism listing a mother with surname Aguilera).
[14] (https://www.familysearch.org/en/search/collection/1520549)

2. Browse Santiago Birth Registers:
If the indexes don’t yield a clear result, use the FamilySearch Chile civil registration 1885–1932 image collection. Navigate to Santiago circa 1900 and skim the birth entries. Focus on entries where the child’s surname is Aguilera. Look especially around 1899, 1900, 1901 for any “María” with mother’s surname Aguilera. Because she is illegitimate, her entry might be indexed under “Aguilera” (and possibly a marginal note like “natural”). Write down the date, book, and record number if found.
[15] (https://www.familysearch.org/en/search/collection/1630787)

3. Locate a Baptism Record:
In parallel, identify which parish in Santiago might have baptized her. If you find her civil birth, it sometimes mentions if and where she was baptized (some Chilean civil records note the baptism date/parish in the margin). If not, consider major parishes in Santiago around 1900:

  • El Sagrario (the Cathedral parish) was common for central Santiago.
  • Parroquia San Lázaro, Santa Ana, Los Sacramentinos, etc., depending on her neighborhood.

Use the FamilySearch Catholic Church Records collection to browse likely parishes’ baptism books for 1899–1901. Look for her name in the entries. Baptism books are handwritten but usually have the child’s name in large script – relatively easy to scan. Finding her baptism will give you her exact birth date (if not already known) and her mother’s name (and possibly residence), which is crucial for further ancestry.

4. Obtain the Death Certificate (Arica, 1973):
Contact the Registro Civil for her death record. Since it’s 1973, you might need to request via the Chilean civil registry offices:

  • If you are in Chile, go to a Registro Civil office with the details (name, date, place) and request a death registration copy (“copia de la partida de defunción”). They will either retrieve it from their digital archive or instruct you if any additional steps are needed.
  • If outside Chile, use the online service (Registro Civil’s website) if you have her RUN, or send a written request to the Archivo General in Santiago or the Arica office.

Provide proof of her death date if possible (though 1973 is long past, proof might not be required). Expect the death record to confirm her date of death, place of death (hospital or address), and possibly her birth place (likely it will say “nacida en Santiago” if the informant knew). It may list her age (“edad: 74 años” for example), which helps verify the birth year. It might list her mother’s name (sometimes death records list parents, especially if she was unmarried). Any detail here can guide further searches.

5. Search Cemetery and Local Records:
Use the FamilySearch Cemetery Records index to see if her burial is recorded. If not, reach out to:

  • Cemetery Municipal de Arica: ask for a lookup in their burial registry for 1973. They will have records of every burial. Knowing the exact burial plot could lead to a headstone (if one exists). Occasionally, family plots have additional information or are shared with relatives.
  • Check if any Arica local history books or genealogical publications list burials or obituaries from the 1970s (there are memorial websites for victims of 1973 political events, but if María’s death was unrelated and natural, those likely won’t apply).
  • If you have access, search newspaper archives around her date of death for any mention (even a funeral notice like “Familia Aguilera comunica el sensible fallecimiento de doña María Aguilera A., sus restos serán velados en…” etc.).

6. Leverage Genealogy Networks:
If direct record searches are challenging, consider posting on genealogy forums:

  • The FamilySearch Chile Community or Reddit’s genealogy subreddit can connect you with people who have navigated Chilean records.
  • Chilean Genealogy Facebook groups (search for “Genealogía Chile”) often have members willing to do quick lookups in digitized records or who have subscriptions to paid databases.
  • Websites like GenealogiaChile (http://www.genealogia.cl) or Ancestry message boards for Chile might have threads on the Aguilera surname or Arica region ancestors.

7. Follow-Up on Leads:
As you gather pieces:

  • If you find the birth or baptism record, you will get the mother’s name (and possibly maternal grandparents if listed as godparents). This opens the door to researching María’s maternal line further (repeat the process for her mother’s birth or marriage, etc., using 19th-century records).
  • If the death record gives an exact birth date or age, reconcile that with the birth record found (to ensure it’s the same person) or use it to guide a more precise birth search.
  • Document each source and keep track of the archive references (e.g., “Registro Civil de Santiago, Nacimiento, Tomo X Año 1900, #1234”). That will be useful if you need to request an official copy or share information with other family members.

By systematically searching these resources, you stand a very good chance of uncovering María Aguilera Aguilera’s birth/baptism details and a trail of documentation for her life events. Chile has robust records and much is accessible via FamilySearch and archives. With patience and the above strategies, you will likely find her birth record in Santiago and death record in Arica, providing the missing dates and family names that have been elusive so far.

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Sources

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